I would bet the greater percentage of us know what it is like to be on the receiving end of a, "No disrespect, but..." remark. You know, that comment that gives you about a millisecond to brace yourself because you are all but certain that despite the disclaimer of there being no ill motive, something is coming that will leave you feeling disrespected.
Comments like, “No disrespect, but I am puzzled by your ability to keep this job secured for as long as you have."Or "No disrespect, but every time we talk I'm distracted by your lazy eye." Really?
Hey! No disrespect to you, but you should know that the essence of your remark totally contradicts the conscientious disclaimer of your opener.
Rude statements can't be buffered by disingenuous assertions of intent. It is a bit insulting for someone to try to convince you otherwise. Some formulas will never mix well. It’s kind of like oxymoronic phrases such as good grief, paid volunteer, or sweet tart. It’s hard to make it work. The latter totally contradicts the first. Oh yeah, I forgot one, alternative facts!
Joining the words alternative and facts together is a ridiculous as coupling Madea with Ted Cruz on Dancing with the Stars. I saw the awkwardness the minute it took center stage.
If you had even thought of saying alternative facts just 10 years ago, people would not have even validated it with a response. Alternative facts are a reality we must wrestle with because society has created an environment for the absurd notion to exist by our support of lies and falsehood as a norm. When honesty is no longer valued nor rewarded, it leads to the erosion of ethics and morality. And somewhere down the line, we give a seat to silly ideas that could have never had a place at the table before.
Although technically, alternative facts existed far before anyone ever labeled them. Every time a news outlet gave their side of a story but conveniently neglected some details, they were casting their vote for "alternative facts." We, the general public, issued the invitation every time we sensed something didn't add up in the news report but failed to hold them accountable because we preferred their version of the "facts" rather than being accurately informed.
The term "alternative facts" is the love child of corrupt news reporting and a society that has incubated a severe loss of value for the truth.
The unprecedented lack of ethics we see surfacing weekly, if not daily reminds me of Romans 1:21-22. It says, "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools," We work so hard to keep God out of the equation, although we fail to realize when He is not there neither are the virtues His presence brings. Things like a conviction to tell the truth, without putting a creative spin on it.
People hate the term “alternative facts” because we have innate desire to hear one fact, not multiple. It's called the truth. Ironically, we get offended if someone suggests that same principle applies to the reality of God.
Hopefully, the preceding sentence did not cause you to cast another internal vote for “Alternative Facts.”